GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 562
Short Title: Com. Coll. Behav. Health Workforce Enhan. Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Campbell, Huneycutt, Lambeth, and Potts (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Health, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 31, 2025
*H562 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE COMMISSION FOR MENT AL HEALTH, DEVELOPME NTAL 2
DISABILITIES, AND SU BSTANCE ABUSE SERVIC ES TO ENGAGE IN 3
RULEMAKING TO AMEND THE STAFF DEFINITIONS FOR CERTAIN QUALIFIED 4
PROFESSIONALS. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1.(a) Definitions. – For the purposes of this act, the following definitions 7
apply: 8
(1) Associate Professional (AP). – As defined in 10A NCAC 27G .0104(1). 9
(2) Commission. – Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, 10
and Substance Abuse Services. 11
(3) Qualified Professional. – As defined in 10A NCAC 27G .0104(21). 12
(4) Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention Professional (QSAPP). – As defined 13
in 10A NCAC 27G .0104(22). 14
(5) Staff Definitions Rule. – 10A NCAC 27G .0104 (Staff Definitions). 15
SECTION 1.(b) Staff Definitions Rule. – Until the effective date of the revised 16
permanent rule that the Commission is required to adopt pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, 17
the Commission shall implement the Staff Definitions Rule as provided in subsections (c) and 18
(d) of this section. 19
SECTION 1.(c) Implementation. – With respect to the definitions of "Associate 20
Professional (AP)," "Qualified Professional," and "Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention 21
Professional (QSAPP)," the Staff Definitions Rule shall be implemented to provide the following 22
new qualification for each term, in addition to current qualifications, for each definition, 23
respectively: 24
(1) Associate Professional (AP). – May be a graduate of a community college 25
with an associate degree in a human services field with less than two years of 26
experience with the population served. 27
(2) Qualified Professional. – May be a graduate of a community college with an 28
associate degree in a human services field and has two years of full-time or 29
pre- or post-associate degree accumulated supervised mental health, 30
developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services experience with the 31
population served. 32
(3) Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention Professional (QSAPP). – May be a 33
graduate of a community college with an associate degree in the human 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 562-First Edition
services field and has two years of full-time or pre- or post-associate degree 1
accumulated supervised experience in addictions and recovery prevention. 2
SECTION 1.(d) Additional Implementation. – With respect to the definition of 3
"Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention Professional (QSAPP)," the Staff Definitions Rule shall 4
be implemented to provide for accumulated supervised experience in substance abuse prevention 5
prior to the completion of a bachelor's degree to qualify for each pathway under 10A NCAC 27G 6
.0104(22)a. through d. 7
SECTION 1.(e) Additional Rulemaking Authority. – The Commission shall adopt a 8
rule to amend the Staff Definitions Rule consistent with subsections (c) and (d) of this section. 9
Notwithstanding G.S. 150B-19(4), the rule adopted by the Commission pursuant to this section 10
shall be substantively identical to the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section. Rules 11
adopted pursuant to this section are not subject to Part 3 of Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the 12
General Statutes. Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall become effective as provided in 13
G.S. 150B-21.3(b1), as though 10 or more written objections had been received as provided in 14
G.S. 150B-21.3(b2). 15
SECTION 1.(f) Conforming Rule Changes. – The Commission shall amend any 16
additional rules under Subchapter 27G of Title 10A of the North Carolina Administrative Code 17
prior to submission to the Rules Review Commission, necessary to implement the provisions of 18
this act. 19
SECTION 1.(g) Sunset. – This section expires when permanent rules adopted as 20
required by subsection (d) of this section become effective. 21
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law. 22